Bend it like a fisherman

Henningsvær Idrettslag Stadium has no grandstand and no roof, just astroturf and floodlights. In fact, it’s a regular soccer pitch where amateurs play, except that it’s on a rocky island in the middle of the Norwegian Sea. As you dribble the ball across the heated green – remember, we’re talking north of the Arctic Circle – you’ll enjoy a dramatic panoramic view of dark waters and rocky outcrops but also notice an unmistakably fishy smell in the air emanating from racks hung with drying halibut at the edge of the pitch.

GETTING THERE

Lufthansa flies to Oslo several times per week and on to Bodø. Widerøe Airlines will take you by propeller plane to Svolvaer Airport. From there, it’s only about 30 kilometers
to Henningsvær